Innocent
by Hopeful.Mockingjay
Summary: This is the a story about Peeta told by Katniss about their new life after the rebellion. It is based off Innocent by Taylor Swift. All characters belong to Suzanne Collins. One-Shot!


**This is a crossover of Innocent by Taylor Swift from Katniss' perspective about Peeta after the rebellion. I thought it would be a perfect song because the lyrics relate to how Peeta was really the only innocent victor, he was truly better than the rest of them. I hope you like it!**

_I guess you really did it this time_

_Left yourself in your warpath_

_Lost your balance on a tightrope_

_Lost your mind tryin' to get it back_

Peeta still is having flashbacks. His nightmares are as bad as mine, maybe worse. After all we have been through, the Hunger Games, Quarter Quell, and the Rebellion; his truly good soul is plagued with darkness it doesn't deserve. Peeta is the best person I have ever met.

He tries to avoid the nightmares by staying up late but once his exhaustion finds him he is pulled back in and there isn't anything anybody can do about it.

_Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?_

_Always a bigger bed to crawl into_

_Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything_

_And everybody believed in you_?

Peeta always did have a better life than I did. He always had enough food, better home, and more friends. He had a good childhood which has come to his disadvantage now. At school he always carried a bright yellow lunchbox. I remember one day a bully mocked him, asking why he wanted such an obnoxious color and he simply replied that it reminded him of summer, the bright yellow sun of summer.

_It's alright, just wait and see_

_Your string of lights is still bright to me_

_Oh, who you are is not where you've been._

_You're still an innocent,_

_You're still an innocent_

He still is the sweet and caring Peeta he used to be. He is a bright, happy person. He now paints sunsets and dandelions, but the sketches of mutts and blood still are drawn frequently. It isn't fair how much he has been through. How much _we_ have been through.

He really is truly better than me though. He never killed anyone on purpose. Even though he went through two hunger games, he never hurt anyone intentionally. He is an innocent soul, lost in shiny memories and the dread of his family's death.

_Did some things you can't speak of_

_But at night you live it all again_

_You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now_

_If only you would seen what you know now then_

Peeta did kill one person from our team in the Capitol, even though it wasn't the real him. He sees the dead friends and family in his dreams every night. He tells me that it was his fault and I continue to say every night it wasn't. He knows there was nothing he could do but that doesn't make everything okay; if anything it just deepens the wounds

Sometimes he will fall to the floor with memories of mutts and needles. I hold his hand and tell him that he is safe; that everything will be alright. His flashbacks are usually about the games. How I faked everything and I only wish I could say it wasn't real but it was, and I can't lie to him anymore.

_Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catchin' days?_

_When everything out of reach, someone bigger brought down to you_

_Wasn't it beautiful runnin' wild 'til you fell asleep_

_Before the monsters caught up to you?_

I remember when I would see him outside at night, catching fireflies in little glass jars. He would jump and try to reach the ones high above him, and then his father would grab one and bring it down for him to catch. They would run around until Peeta fell asleep and his father carried him inside.

I wish he could fall asleep so easy now. He always is taunted by the nightmares that plague him. He does have some good nights, but only when I am right there in his arms.

_It's alright, just wait and see_

_Your string of lights is still bright to me_

_Oh, who you are is not where you've been_

_You're still an innocent_

_It's okay, life is a tough crowd_

_32, and still growin' up now_

_Who you are is not what you did._

_You're still an innocent._

Peeta truly is an incredible person. He is a funny, clever, sweet man who has been doing better ever since I moved in with him and we sleep in the same bed every night. He holds me in my arms which keep us sane and safe from nightmares. We have gotten older, and when I give into his begging we have our first child. Her name is Daisy, and she has beautiful blue eyes and dark brown hair.

Just because we went through so much doesn't mean we don't deserve happiness; especially Peeta, who is still an innocent.

_Time turns flames to embers_

_You'll have new Septembers_

_Every one of us has messed up too_

_Lives change like the weather_

_I hope you remember_

_Today is never too late to be brand new_

We have a better life now. Even though we have made our mistakes and done wrong, we have a chance to be normal again. Life is good again. We will always be the star-crossed lovers but at least now it is real.

My fire is now calming. After being with Peeta for so long his kindness has rubbed off on me. His love has scorched the flames and even though they are still burning, we are truly new people. I am no longer the bitter soul I was; I am a smiling happy person like Peeta.

_It's alright, just wait and see_

_Your string of lights is still bright to me_

_Oh, who you are is not where you've been_

_You're still an innocent._

_It's okay, life is a tough crowd_

_32, and still growin' up now_

_Who you are is not what you did_

_You're still an innocent._

_You're still an innocent._

Peeta is so much older but time has been kind. His blond curls are starting to turn gray, and his youthful face has gotten some wrinkles. Other than that he looks like the young boy that threw the bread to me in the rain.

He is so wise. It is like he has lived life a thousand years. He always knows what is right and what is wrong. His flashbacks haven't come since Daisy was born. I know my Peeta will always be there for me and her, and even our newborn son Lucas, which we named after his father. He has Peeta's blond, wavy hair and my gray eyes. He is a constant reminder of joy and goodness and makes everyone smile.

_Lost your balance on a tightrope._

_It's never too late to get it back._

Sometimes Peeta will have those bad days. But we always know it will be okay. He will return to himself, the good and beautiful person he is. It will never be too late to have our goodness and joy. We will always have each other.

Our love is impossible to lose. It may have been fake. It may have been tragic, but it will now forever be…

_Real_


End file.
